1
New Barbarians president John Spencer believes the players who have worn the cherished black and white hooped shirt will be the greatest asset towards ensuring the celebrated invitational club continues to thrive in the professional era.
ADVERTISEMENT
Spencer, who recently took over the administration of the world-famous side following the death last May of the legendary Micky Steele-Bodger, made his prediction while featuring in the latest RugbyPass documentary, Inside the Barbarians.
“I just simply ask you when people say to you in the future, ‘Does the Barbarians have a place in the modern professional game?’ Please tell them: ‘It does.’ And tell them why. And tell them why you enjoyed it and tell them what we encourage in the game.”
RugbyPass gained exclusive behind the scenes access to the Barbarians during the week of their recent November 30 match versus Wales in Cardiff.
The fixture witnessed Warren Gatland coaching against the Welsh at his Principality Stadium farewell following twelve years in charge of the Wales national side.
(Continue reading below…)
The Barbarians game was also the emotional final match in the treasured professional rugby careers of Ireland’s Rory Best and South Africa’s Schalk Brits. They both retired after the final whistle sounded at the end of a memorable week captured by RugbyPass.
“For me, it is the memories you make off the pitch. Of course, it is very important that you put in a great performance on weekends but the beauty of Barbarians is the people,” said recent Springboks World Cup winner Brits.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The longer I played the game, the less important rugby became but the more important the people became. And if you cherish those moments, even now sitting here at 38, you forget the games but you do remember the people. Every guy who has worn this (Barbarians) shirt, thank you for the memories which will last forever with me.”
Goosebumps ? ?
We invited @RugbyPass @jimhamilton4 behind the scenes to get under the skin of the club ?
Filmed before our match v @WelshRugbyUnion ???????
Watch IN FULL later this week ?#Baabaas #rugby #rugbyunited ? pic.twitter.com/lvJAFJvbmY
— Barbarian FC (@Barbarian_FC) January 7, 2020
Honoured that RugbyPass were able to deliver an exciting, insightful documentary, Inside the Barbarians director Peteso Cannon said: “The PR team for the Barbarians are fantastic and forward-thinking. They are very conscious of bringing the club into the 21st century with regards to media access, which for us was fantastic.
“When you are embedded with the team for any duration of time it’s hard not to sense the history and the ethos that makes the Barbarians so unique.
“There are many organisations in professional sport that preach enjoyment but few live and breathe it in the way the Barbarians do. That mindset translates to the players and in turn to the pitch. They are the last bastion of a bygone era, making their values and what they stand for all the more important to preserve.”
ADVERTISEMENT
WATCH: RugbyPass travelled to Brecon to see how life after rugby is treating Andy Powell, the former Wales and Lions player
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments